Mohawk Hudson Regional
Canalway Trail Group Meeting
May 19, 2003
Meeting Review
Attendance
|
NAME |
REPRESENTING |
ADDRESS |
TELEPHONE NUMBER |
E-MAIL ADDRESS |
|
Don Odell |
Friends of MHBHT |
97 Manning Blvd., #A Albany, NY 12203 |
482-4574 |
|
|
Patrick Clear |
Environmental Clearinghouse
of Schenectady (ECOS), |
PO Box 9118 Niskayuna, NY 12309 |
370-4125 |
|
|
Patricia Rush |
1177 Oxford Pl. Schenectady, NY 12308 |
374-6995 |
||
|
Arden Rauch |
ECOS |
2346 Knolls View Dr. Schenectady, NY 12309 |
372-2932 |
|
|
Louis Rossi |
72B Devonshire Dr. Guilderland, N 12084 |
221-3782 |
||
|
Teresa LaSalle |
5 Computer Dr. West Albany, NY 12205 |
458-2161 |
||
|
John DiMura |
NYS Canal Corp |
|
436-3034 |
Much of the meeting
consisted of brainstorming to come up with some future directions and ideas for
the committee. The following underlined text is a transcription
of the newsprint notes from the meeting.
Additional text based on Don Odell’s review notes and responses from the
meeting participnats is not underlined.
1.
Albany County Connections
Study.
q Don Odell reported on the May 7 CDTC/Albany County Mohawk Hudson Bike Hike Trail Crossroads Connections study public meeting in Cohoes. The April 21, 2003 Summary Report was circulated.
q
What’s next
·
Help implement plan (need to see final draft).
-
However, those present stressed the idea that the Plan should
identify eligible funding sources and funding options for next steps.
·
East West Connection
-
Meet with Cohoes
-
John DiMura to meet with Ralph Pascale
-
Rebuild Mohawk Street
-
Signing route – done for on-road portion between
Watervliet trailhead & Cohoes trailhead.
-
Conduct a study which focuses on the east-west
connection. Apply for a CDTC Linkages
grant.
-
How to connect with canal history?
-
Teresa to provide and distribute owner/maintainer map. An electronic pdf formatted map is available
to those so desiring, but will not be available as printed copies. Maintainers and Owners of the trail are
identified and are shown on the map.
(Contact Teresa LaSalle at cdtc@crisny.org
if you want to receive a copy.)
-
Change Bike Route 5 to follow River Road to Waterford
(Mohawk Towpath Byway).
2.
Signage
q It was noted that signing of the on-road portion of the trail from the Watervliet trailhead to the Cohoes trailhead was addressed though the Albany County Trail Connections program with support from the Greenway Community Council grant to Albany County.
q There are no signs, and no agreed route through the City of Schenectady. There is now a kiosk at the corner of State and Washington Streets in downtown Schenectady.
q There is no signage where the path resumes beyond Lock 8.
q There did seem to be some sense that next steps should identify and provide signage for the trail. This might include identifying owners and maintainers of particular portions of the trail. Also, a possible Friends of the MHBHT project may be the installing of Canalway trailblazer signs, which could be made available by the Canal Corporation.
3.
Where does the Group go from
here.
q John DiMura reported on his telephone conversation with Ralph Pascale, Cohoes Community Development Director (who was unable to come to the meeting). John indicated that Ralph suggested that the group have speakers at some of the meetings, e.g. Mike Franchini, Albany County Deputy Commissioner of Public Works (and the responsible party for applying and receiving a TEA-21 Enhancement Grant for rehabilitation of the Albany County maintained trail along the Hudson River and in Cohoes). The group could also focus on seeking funding sources.
q Agency participation.
· NYSDOT
· Albany County
· Schenectady County
· NYS Office of Park, Recreation & Historic Preservation. (Denise Farnam is now in Rockland County. We need to find out who has replaced her.)
· Town of Colonie
· City of Cohoes
· Town of Waterford
· NYS Canal Corporation.
q
Roles of owners & maintainers. Have meetings on specific portions of the
trail and invite owners and/or maintainers to consider those particular
portions of the trail.
q
Volunteer groups – how to develop. What are some doable tasks.
·
Put up signs – Sign route from Schenectady to Cohoes
·
Identify and sign the Route through the City of
Schenectady
·
Help forward proposals; work with municipalities.
q
Governmental/Political support.
·
Get them to see the benefits of the trail (How?)
·
Ribbon cuttings for small achievements, e.g., signs.
· Encourage participating parties to hold press conference or issue a press release to announce completion of the Connections Study. Quotes could be obtained from local officials and included in the release.
q
Getting the word out.
·
Add these to the mailing list
Chambers of Commerce
·
Schenectady
– Pat Rush will contact
·
Albany
·
Mohawk
Valley Heritage Corridor (Barb Henderson)
·
Frank Dean Comparisons
Saratoga Heritage Trail (Paul Olund)
·
Erie
Canalway National Heirtage Corridor
·
Cayuga
Seneca Canalway Trail Group
· It was noted that an advertising insert from the Province of Quebec was recently inserted in the Albany Times Union.
4.
Updates.
q CTANY. John reported that 27 miles of trail in Montgomery County would be completed this year. The western end of Schenectady County would be completed in 2005. Surveying is underway for the Rotterdam Jct. to Amsterdam Canalway Trail project scheduled for 2005 construction. A feasibility study of an underpass at the Guilford Rail crossing is also being started. A community design charrette is also being planned for late June to obtain public input into the design of the project.
q Lou Rossi reported that he is pressing the publisher to reissue his “Cycling Along the Canalways of New York.”
q ECOS. Patrick Clear and Pat Rush reported that ECOS is developing a guide for Montgomery County similar to what has been completed for Schenectady County.
q CDTC. Teresa LaSalle reported that the CDTC is continuing to develop new Mohawk Hudson Bike Hike trail maps. There are few copies of the present edition remaining.
5.
Next Meeting.
The next meeting has not been finalized. A planning charrette is under consideration (see above CTANY Update). There will be some combination of charrette and/or meeting during the last week of June. Details will be forthcoming.
SUBMITTED BY:
Don Odell, recorder